


Underneath

by MyTrashyWriting



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Lance's Insecurities, Lion shuffle, M/M, Post s2 finale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-18
Updated: 2017-02-18
Packaged: 2018-09-25 08:46:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,548
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9811856
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MyTrashyWriting/pseuds/MyTrashyWriting
Summary: After Shiro disappears, the team decides that there are some necessary changes to make when it comes to who's going to pilot which Lion. Lance doesn't agree.





	

**Author's Note:**

> There are so many amazing (and different) theories on who's going to be which Paladin now, that I can't decide which is my favourite. ~~(Jk, Slav or Kaltenecker for the Black Paladin.)~~  
>  I went with this one since it fit the idea I had.
> 
> Also - I was listening to the whole [Migration](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxKHVMqMZqUQSnCsyHq4bK56I8tb7hH3C) album by Bonobo while writing this. Especially [No Reason](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebzEEEdjHj0) and [Surface](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXFACkeUW_I).  
> I was editing and rewriting it so many times that I lost the count...

“So… to sum it up - ” Hunk started slowly, breaking the heavy silence, “ - Allura will pilot the Blue Lion because Lance will pilot the Red Lion because Keith will pilot the Black Lion in Shiro’s stead?”

“Yes,” Allura confirmed, her voice strained. Hunk worriedly turned to look at Lance who was unusually quiet the whole time. After another long moment of silence, Lance finally spoke:

“No,” it was strong and defiant refusal. Lance stood still, not moving a muscle, his whole body tense.

“This is probably our only choice,” Coran said softly, taking few steps towards Lance. He sensed that there was something wrong with Lance and was sure that they have to be careful with each word or move. 

“No,” Lance repeated, his voice surprisingly cold. “I won’t be Keith’s replacement. Never again,” he glared at Keith, then turned on his heel and immediately left the room.

“Uh-oh, there he goes,” Pidge commented quietly.

“Holy shit, he’s still thinking about the Garrison stuff…” Hunk buried his face in his hands, while the rest was staring at the door, dumbfounded. Keith was the first one to snap out of it and he quickly followed after Lance.

“Keith, leave him. He won’t listen. Not you, not now,” Hunk tried to stop him. “I’m not excusing his behaviour but he… Lance has a lot going,” he smiled sadly at Keith.

“It has to be now. Because it’s now or never,” Keith answered with determination and left.

Because of Hunk stopping Keith, Lance had enough time to disappear somewhere in the Castle. At first Keith just quickly walked around the corridors, knowing perfectly well that it won’t help him much. He stopped, wondering where Lance might have gone. Somehow, Keith was sure that he definitely wasn’t in his room. Maybe because it was right beside Keith’s.

“His Lion…” Keith whispered, sudden realisation dawning on him. Strange sense of urgency pushed him and he run to Blue’s hangar. When he finally arrived, Keith stopped to take a few deep breaths and only then he came inside. Just like he expected, he found Lance. 

Lance was standing still, looking up at Blue. He had his back turned towards the door, so he hadn’t noticed Keith entering. 

“ _He looks... lonely,_ ” Keith thought and called Lance’s name. The other flinched but refused to turn around.

“I’m not changing my mind,” Lance said dryly, putting his hands into his pockets.

“I'm not going to force you to do that. You have to agree to it. You have to want to do this,” Keith tried his best to stay calm.

“No,” Lance’s voice was sharp. “I’ve told you before - that we’re happy together with Blue.”

“La-”

“Happy!” he repeated in a shaky tone. Keith wasn’t sure if he was seeing things right but it seemed as if Lance’s shoulders were trembling. “If I can’t be better than you, then, at least, I want to be your equal! I don’t want to be your replacement. I don’t want to be the spare one. I don’t want to be the Red Paladin, be it temporarily or not. I don't want for things to be like this. I don't want to _feel_ like this,” Lance finally turned around. He was trying to glare at Keith but he was so shaken and overwhelmed by his own emotions that it looked more like a helpless plea.

“I don’t want to pilot the Black Lion either! I don’t want to leave Red!” Keith snapped. “But this is what we have to do!” he walked the last few steps towards Lance and grabbed his shoulders. “Lance, I am entrusting my Lion to _you_! Because I know that, out of everyone, you are the only one who’s capable of bonding with Red! Lance, I _trust_ you! I _believe_ in you!” Keith slightly shook Lance.

“Eh?” he was staring at Keith, his eyes opened wide.

“Unless you go full Zarkon on us, you will forever be the Blue Paladin,” Keith continued. “Blue chose you out of all five of us! Do you remember when we all went to that cave on Earth? The carvings never glowed before when I was alone! The barrier around Blue opened only when you touched it. I was right beside you and it didn’t react to me at all! And then Blue clearly chose you! Only you heard her voice! Even though all five of us were there!” Keith was breathing heavily, clearly worked up. “You are not a spare to throw around. You are not a replacement. And you definitely aren’t inferior. Not to me, not to anyone else. You are _you_ , Lance! And you are important!” he finished, still looking right into Lance’s eyes. 

“I’m…” Lance started quietly, looking down at his feet. He couldn’t handle Keith’s intense gaze. “I’m sorry. I understand.”

“Do you really?”

“Yeah,” his head was still hanging low.

“Look at me, Lance. Please,” Keith gently squeezed his fingers on Lance’s shoulders.

“What is with you right now? You aren’t supposed to say such things to me,” Lance mumbled, reluctantly looking up. His cheeks were tinted red and he still wasn’t able to meet Keith’s eyes.

“I’m just… the truth…” Keith fumbled with his words, suddenly embarrassed.

“The truth,” Lance repeated almost inaudibly and chuckled. “Blue, Beautiful, “ - he turned to look at his Lion, “ - we will have to part for some time but you’re still my most important girl,” he winked and faced Keith. “Once again - I’m sorry. We’re in a critical situation and I behaved like a brat.”

“A little. Not like it’s something new,” Keith smiled lightly.

“Hey!”

“But, seriously, don’t doubt yourself,” he added softly.

“If I didn’t know better, that you don't like me and all, then I would have thought that you’re hitting on me or something,” Lance was back to his cocky self.

“Wha-?!” Keith flinched. He looked at his hands, still on Lance’s shoulders, and immediately let go, jumping back right afterwards. “That’s… No... I wasn’t. That wasn’t… My intention now…” he stuttered out. “And I don't… not like you.”

“You don't?” Lance furrowed his brows. “Wait. Not your intention now? Keith? Do you want to tell me something?” he asked, both curiously and teasingly, to which Keith groaned.

“Lance, you said yourself that the situation is bad. Don’t make it worse. Let’s not complicate things even more.”

“No, no. Keith, since I’m going to _ride_ \- “ Lance suggestively lowered his voice, “ - the Red _Lion_ , shouldn’t I _bond_ with the Red _Paladin_ first, so it would be easier later?” Lance wriggled his eyebrows at Keith.

“Don’t provoke me now - you’re going to regret it sooner or later. Probably sooner.”

“Let me decide that for myself,” Lance almost purred at Keith, throwing his arms around Keith’s neck. There was a cocky smile on Lance’s face but Keith could tell that it was only a false front. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he looked at Lance again, there was something raw in his expression, sending a shiver down Lance’s spine.

“I’m not going to let you forget this,” Keith said in a husky voice. He hooked one of his arms around Lance’s waist and put his other hand on his back, between his shoulder blades, pulling Lance closer.

“Someone upped his cradling game, huh?” 

“Lance, you-”

“Less talking,” Lance whispered and closed the distance between their lips.

Keith always thought that if he ever kissed Lance, it would be completely different. He thought that he would snap, unable to control himself anymore. He thought that it would be forceful, rough, angry, probably with biting until they bleed. Not tender. Not affectionate, almost sentimental. Not like this.

Lance’s lips were soft and warm against his, Keith felt as if they were going to melt into each other. Only now, with Lance pliant in his arms, Keith realised how delicate, fragile even, Lance seemed to be. And how weak and breakable both of them were. But, soon enough, Keith stopped thinking completely. He just held Lance even closer, drowning in the sweet kiss, almost intoxicated by it.

When they finally pulled away, Keith leaned his head against Lance’s shoulder. Both of them were quiet, until Lance realised that Keith was trembling.

“Keith, are you ok?” he asked softly, starting to gently stroke Keith’s head.

“No,” came a quiet answer. “I’m not fine,” Keith squeezed Lance even tighter, almost painfully digging his fingers into his sides.

“Yeah, of course you aren’t,” Lance continued tenderly. “We all aren’t. But we will be. We will find Shiro. We will defeat Zarkon. We will win. Together,” he kissed Keith’s temple.

“Yeah. We will,” Keith straightened and took a deep breath to calm himself. He flinched, surprised, when Lance started to laugh. “What?” he grumbled.

“You’re such an ugly crier,” Lance wheezed.

“You’re crying too.”

“Yeah, but I’m still flawless,” he boasted.

“Yes, you are,” Keith honestly agreed, surprising Lance. He lightly kissed the tears away from Lance’s eyes and slowly loosened his hold on him, reluctantly letting go. In response, Lance grabbed his hand, linking their fingers:

“We should go back to others and continue the talk from before. About what we’re going to do now,” he pulled Keith towards the door.

“Yeah, we should,” Keith followed him, small smile on his face.

**Author's Note:**

> I wasn't doing that lately but, somehow, I was going slightly wild with the filename again: I CANNOT INTO TITLES (also - kids, remember - consent is important in every aspect of life - be it sex or flying futuristic robo cat full of space magic slash science).
> 
> Also on [tumblr](http://my-trashy-writing.tumblr.com/post/157398604066/after-shiro-disappears-the-team-decides-that).


End file.
